A Sorcerer's Knight
by Inarya
Summary: Squall/Seifer! Squall with sorcerer's powers and the hunters who want those powers for themselves...
1. Morning

//Squall! Squall, please help me!//  
  
Rinoa. She was calling him. But where was she?  
  
"Rinoa?" Squall called. No response. "Rinoa!" he yelled more urgently.  
  
//Squall!!!!//  
  
* * *  
  
Squall woke up, a sheen of cold sweat running down his face. A chill ran through his body as he sat up, the sheets falling from him, revealing his bared chest. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, exhaling a bit of stress from his mind. Ever since he and Rinoa had broken up, he'd been haunted by these incessant dreams. Every time, Rinoa would be in trouble, but he wasn't there to save her this time. Is that what will happen since they broke up?  
  
Of course not! He immediately reminded himself. Just because they aren't together anymore doesn't mean that Rinoa is in mortal danger...does it?  
  
Knock knock knock  
  
Squall looked up as the door creaked open and dark eyes met his.  
  
"Squall, are you alright?" Rinoa asked thoughtfully, making her way to the side of the bed.  
  
"I'm fine..." he muttered quietly.  
  
"Oh..."  
  
There's a prime example of why they broke up in the first place. Rinoa hated it when Squall wouldn't express his feelings to her. She believed that if they were ever to have a successful relationship, then they would have to trust one another. Apparently that meant that secrets were not allowed in such a relationship. Squall thought otherwise and that was the start of the bumpy road to their break up. It wasn't tear-filled or anger-causing. Both were mature enough to realize that they really weren't meant for each as they both originally thought. So the break-up was more mutual than anything, neither dumping the other, and they decided that they would remain friends afterwards.  
  
"What is it?" Squall asked, casting his stormy eyes in Rinoa's direction.  
  
"Headmaster Cid has an assignment for you."  
  
Squall looked to the analog clock next to his bed. 5:00 AM.  
  
"He couldn't wait 'til the sun rose?" he asked sarcastically.  
  
"We have to leave today at 6."  
  
"We? You're not a SeeD. Why are you coming?"  
  
"I'm coming because your assignment is to escort me to Dollet."  
  
"Escort you? Why are you going to Dollet and why do you need an escort?"  
  
"Because of my powers, Dollet wants my help as a sorceress and I need you as an escort because there are still people out there who are against the sorceress."  
  
"And I alone am supposed to protect from potential assassins?"  
  
"You underestimate yourself..." Rinoa chided. "Besides, you aren't my only escort."  
  
"Who else is coming? Quisty?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Zell?" Rinoa shook her head.  
  
"Not Irvine I hope."  
  
"Rest assured."  
  
"Selphie?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Then who?"  
  
Rinoa hesitated before answering, "Seifer."  
  
//Seifer//? Squall asked himself. //Oh, he's a SeeD now. I forgot, he came back and passed the exam...// Ever since Seifer came back, he's been more...laid back. He was still as cocky as ever just more reserved about it. More mature, perhaps. Then again, had it not been for Squall's influence upon the headmaster, Seifer would probably be alone somewhere, rejected from every job possible due to his infamous time served as the Sorceress' Knight. That could explain his slight humbleness. Key word; slight.  
  
"Squall?"  
  
Squall realized that he'd been staring blankly for a moment, thinking. Yet another thing Rinoa disliked about her former boyfriend.  
  
"Hmm?" he responded as fast as his mind would allow him.  
  
"Are you ok with that?"  
  
Squall sighed. "Why wouldn't I be? It's not like I hate Seifer or anything..."  
  
"Oh good!" Rinoa said happily as she clapped her hands together. "Seifer and I will meet you at the lobby at 6. See you then." She said cheerfully as she left.  
  
//How the fuck can she be so happy this early in the morning?// Not all the pet peeves belonged to Rinoa. Squall had a few of his own and that included all the crap-happy shit Rinoa tried to force him to do while they were together. Going out to dinner, going to parties, being in public in general really pissed him off. He preferred his solitude and Rinoa just couldn't understand that. And what the young woman couldn't understand, she was determined to change. Luckily for Squall's sake, she failed in changing this particular gunblade specialist. He figured that if he can't be himself around the one he loves, then it just wasn't meant to be. He didn't want to put on a mask of optimism in order to be with Rinoa. It just wasn't his style.  
  
Squall sighed. The couple known as Squall and Rinoa is over. He heaved another heavy sigh to relieve some of the sleep daze he still had before crawling out of bed to take a shower.  
  
* * *  
  
"I can see you still haven't lost the infinite number of belts yet..." Seifer scoffed as Squall walked up to the directory where his rival and ex-girlfriend stood.  
  
"I can see you have lost the trenchcoat..." Squall mocked, tugging on the material. Seifer pulled away.  
  
"Lay off, Leonhart." Seifer scowled quietly. "This coat's one of a kind."  
  
"Enough, you two..." Rinoa interrupted. "We should get going."  
  
The three walked out of Garden and proceeded to board Ragnarok. Rinoa stood back as Squall manned the pilot's seat, Seifer behind him to help navigate. Squall ran a gloved hand through his chocolate hair, tossing it back and slightly hitting Seifer on the chin. Seifer's head jerked back.  
  
"Cut your hair." He said simply.  
  
"No." Squall replied in a similar manner.  
  
Seifer shook his head. Arguing about Squall's hair would be worthless. Besides, the point was moot; the man wouldn't cut his hair if Hyne herself demanded it. Then again, sorceresses have never been very successful with Squall Leonhart. They either wound up dead, powerless, or broken hearted. Perhaps that's why so many referred to him as Leonhart- less.  
  
"Yo, Rin, why the hell do we have to leave so early if 'Rok'll get us there in, what, an hour? Does Dollet really need us there so fucking early?" Seifer grumbled, covering a yawn after finishing his complaint.  
  
"Seifer, didn't you read the mission outline?" Rinoa asked.  
  
Seifer gave his signature smirk. "Do I ever?"  
  
Squall scoffed as he pulled Ragnarok into the air. Seifer heard him, but decided not to confront the SeeD. He'd have plenty of time for that later.  
  
Rinoa merely rolled her dark eyes. "Dollet is in the middle of an internal revolution."  
  
"You're kidding?" Seifer interrupted. "Dollet is having more problems? Fuck, they need to get over it already..."  
  
"How diplomatic of you..." Squall ridiculed.  
  
"Diplomatic? Who gives a shit? Diplomacy just leads to more fucking chaos. If you ask me, I'd just shove Hyperion up whoever happened to start the argument's ass. That's my idea of diplomacy!" Seifer retorted, lifting Hyperion up for all to see.  
  
"Put that away, Seifer." Rinoa reprimanded. "Anyways, because of this, a 5 kilometer radius of no-entry zones surrounds the city. We have to land Ragnarok outside this perimeter and enter by foot. Otherwise, they'll shoot Ragnarok to the ground."  
  
"'Rok's loaded with weapons, why not blast through?" Seifer asked.  
  
"We're here for diplomatic reasons. The government of Dollet wants my help as an official standing against the rebels..."  
  
"Did I hear what I thought I heard? Rinoa Heartilly, a once devout member of the Forest Owls, a rebel faction in Timber, is now acting as a government official against something that she once strongly supported?" Squall asked.  
  
"Things have changed, -Squally-."  
  
Seifer snickered at the call of Squall's former pet name. Rinoa knew quite well that Squall despised the nickname for all its worth and so, she now used it on a constant basis.or at least whenever Squall made an effort to insult her...which happened to be on a constant basis.  
  
"Don't call me that..." Squall growled, gripping the controls of Ragnarok until his knuckles whitened.  
  
"Aw, poor Squally's mad..." Seifer teased.  
  
"Back off, Almasy..." Ragnarok's pilot hissed through clenched teeth.  
  
"Anyways," Rinoa continued, "You two are to escort me to Dollet."  
  
"And what exactly are we protecting you from?" Seifer asked.  
  
"There are still people out there who despise the sorceress no matter who that may be." Squall stated, shifting 'Rok to autopilot and leaning back in his seat. "There could be assassins waiting for Rinoa, thinking that if they kill her, then that'll be the end of sorceresses and the end of their troubles."  
  
"You seem rather calm about this." Seifer pointed out. "Why?"  
  
Squall didn't answer. There was nothing he could say. He truly didn't know why he felt so calm talking about people capable of killing Rinoa. Perhaps he thought that his prowess would be enough to defend Rinoa from anything. But he's never believed that before, so why believe it now?  
  
Rinoa seemed unnerved from the silence brought about by the question. Something needed to be said. "It's not important, Seifer. Besides, you know how Squall is on missions, 100% focused on the task at hand." she said almost bitterly. Squall sensed the resentment in Rinoa's tone and knew exactly what she was hinting at.  
  
Seifer, not realizing the tension between the ex-couple, smirked and said, "Good ol' Leonhart, always giving it his all."  
  
Squall scoffed. "You're mockery doesn't amuse me."  
  
"Nor does your state of constant insensitivity, Leonhart-less..."  
  
"I won't dignify that with a response..."  
  
"Enough you two. I'm starting to wonder why Cid assigned you two as my escorts." Rinoa interrupted, irritation edging her voice.  
  
"I have to agree." Seifer stated, backing away from the controls and leaving the cockpit. Rinoa watched him leave then turned towards Squall.  
  
"Why can't you two behave?" she asked rather bluntly.  
  
"Why does the sun rise?" Squall replied in an icy monotone. Rinoa let the subject drop after that comment. One thing Squall was very good at was intimidating others. Regardless of his effeminate looks, his attitude could be colder than Shiva herself, an iciness that demanded respect. Rinoa sighed. Who cares if the trip to Dollet was only on hour? In her mind, this was going to be a long trip.  
  
* * * 


	2. Attack

"Have they arrived yet?" the rebel leader asked.  
  
The young boy nodded his head. "Yes, they have just landed in the outskirts of the perimeter." He replied.  
  
The leader smiled, his dark cobalt eyes glinting at the news. He was a tall and imposing man with a large and toned build. He had black hair slicked back neatly with a trimmed goatee. He wore a black uniform with tall boots and a sash on his upper arm depicting a flame with a sword crossing it. The insignia of the Sorceress Hunters.  
  
"Arrange a meeting for the Sorceress and I. Kill any that are with her, but I want the Sorceress alive!"  
  
"Yes, sir!" the boy said curtly, saluting the leader then turning to leave.  
  
"Oh, and Dante..."  
  
The boy paused, hearing his name.  
  
"Do not disappoint me."  
  
"Yes, Father."  
  
* * *  
  
Rinoa walked through the field at a quickened pace, Seifer and Squall flanking either side of her. After a few minutes of uneventful walking, Seifer interrupted the growing silence.  
  
"How much longer?"  
  
"I don't know. I was told that when we reach the halfway point, we will meet a representative of the city to guide us the rest of the way." Rinoa replied evenly.  
  
"Wonderful." Seifer groaned.  
  
"Such enthusiasm..." Squall said quietly.  
  
"I don't see you jumping for joy." Seifer retorted.  
  
"I'm sorry to interrupt this pertinent conversation, but you have something I want."  
  
The trio turned to face the speaker. A boy no older that 13 with lengthy silver hair and piercing violet eyes faced them. He stood before the three in a rather cocky stance, holding a black gunblade over his shoulder casually.  
  
"Who are you?" Squall demanded more than asked.  
  
"My name is Dante Reminaix. I've come for the Sorceress and no one will stand in my way." The boy replied coldly.  
  
Both Squall and Seifer drew their gunblades on reflex. "You'll have to get past us first." Seifer scowled.  
  
"Eclipse will gladly tear through your pitiful bodies." Dante promised, raising his dark gunblade to an offensive stance. "But first, allow me to even the odds." He raised his free hand into the air, making it into a fist then bring it down in front of him. A black essence swirled around him and then more of the black portal-like swirls made their way around the Sorceress and her two escorts. From these portals rose creatures that Squall had never seen before. They were tall and disgustingly thin with long gangly arms ending in three pointed talons. Their faces were round, their huge pupil-less eyes and gaping mouths with rows of long thin teeth adding to the creatures' grotesque looks. Six of the monsters circled them, making high-pitched throaty squeals and shrieks.  
  
Rinoa stood frozen, all of her fighting instincts lost as fear overcame her at the sight of the deplorable creatures.  
  
Seifer eyed they creatures carefully, each of their movements only increasing his anger. Every move the monsters made mocked Seifer, their piercing shrieks laughter to his ears. He pushed his rage aside, focusing on the upcoming fight. He didn't need to be blinded by rage, not when he had something else to lose. He looked to Squall. His blue-gray eyes were narrowed, completely focused on the threat at hand. No, Seifer couldn't allow his rage to take control. Not when he had someone else to lose.  
  
"How the hell is three to seven even odds?" Seifer growled as two of the creatures flanked him. Dante laughed.  
  
"Allow me to introduce my pets. They are called shadow stalkers. Precious, aren't they?"  
  
"You're sick." Squall hissed.  
  
"Your compliments are welcome, but it won't help you. Creatures!" Dante yelled. The monsters jerked their heads toward the boy. Dante issued a devilish grin, then pointed Eclipse toward Rinoa. "Take her."  
  
The creatures shrieked and lunged towards their target. Squall swung Lionheart across in a wide arc, pushing two of the creatures back in retreat; Seifer using similar moves to defend Rinoa. Many minutes passed, the creatures trying to make their way to Rinoa and each time, they'd be pushed away by either Lionheart or Hyperion. Dante grew impatient, just standing by and watching. He wanted action and he wanted it now.  
  
//The tall blonde seems more of a challenge...// Dante thought as he lifted his dark gunblade and charged forward, passing through the shadow stalkers and striking at Seifer. Hyperion countered head on, gladly accepting the challenge that this young gunblade wielder imposed on him. As Seifer and Dante exchanged blows, that left Squall to defend Rinoa alone. He did well for a while, but he soon began to weaken. Four of the six creatures surrounded Squall, isolating him from Rinoa.  
  
As Squall fought now to defend himself, he saw out of the corner of his eye Rinoa being brutally beaten by the two other stalkers that weren't occupying Squall. Gray eyes narrowed dangerously.  
  
"Squall!!" she shouted. "Squall, please help me!"  
  
//The dream...//  
  
"Rinoa?"  
  
//No...//  
  
"Rinoa!!" Invoking Squall's wrath was like invoking the rage of a storm. And nothing can stand in the way of a storm. Especially not a few shadows.  
  
Lionheart glowed furiously, flashing across, slicing through two of the shadow stalkers, forcing them to retreat to where ever they came from. Squall reversed his gunblade, sending the blade into the belly of the stalker behind him. The creature shuttered, then also fled to its own world. He pulled the blade back as quickly as he had placed it, then spun around, blocking an attack from the remaining monster, then swinging Lionheart across, beheading the shadow stalker, causing it dissolve. The SeeD then charged the last two stalkers that had brought down Rinoa, dispatching them easily.  
  
He kneeled next to the fallen girl, her breathing weak and labored. Scars adorned her fragile form, her clothes ripped and her blood rolling from her body and dripping to the ground. She lazily lifted her eyes when she felt Squall hold her up.  
  
"Squall..." she whispered, almost too quietly for him to hear.  
  
"I'm here Rinoa. It's alright. Everything will be fine. Just hang on."  
  
Rinoa smiled then coughed, allowing blood to seep down the side of her mouth. Squall widened his stormy blue eyes, realizing just how injured Rinoa was. He closed his eyes, searching his mind for anything that could help the raven-haired girl.  
  
"No..." he whispered as he realized that he had not junctioned any GF and therefore, he had no magic to help Rinoa.  
  
"Squall?" Rinoa stuttered quietly. Squall looked down into Rinoa's dark eyes. A feeling of complete hopelessness fell over him as he looked at her.  
  
"I...I must..." she inhaled sharply, pain ceasing her speech.  
  
"Shh...don't talk." Squall tried.  
  
"No...my...my powers...they must...be..."  
  
"What?"  
  
Rinoa grasped Squall's hands, desperately holding on to them. "They must be passed on." She whispered. Squall suddenly realized that the only thing that he could hear now was his and Rinoa's breathe. The sound of battle had stopped. He looked over to where Seifer and Dante were fighting. They were frozen mid stance. Then he looked down at the grass around them. The blades of grass appeared to be blown slightly over by the wind, yet they made no movements. Time had frozen.  
  
Squall inhaled. //Is this the power of the Sorceress?// His breath, his heartbeat, his thoughts, they seemed so loud now as opposed to Rinoa's, hers faint and fast fading.  
  
"Squall..."  
  
"What is it, Rinoa?" he asked quietly.  
  
"Accept them. Please."  
  
There was no time to think. Or was there? Squall didn't care. If this was Rinoa's last wish, then he would make sure it was made. Squall nodded and Rinoa smiled, holding tighter to Squall's hand. A green essence lifted from Rinoa, swirling around the pair. Squall watched the essence warily as it enveloped him. It was a strange feeling, like all weight had left his body yet at the same time, it seemed that gravity was crushing him. Pain swelled throughout his body. It felt like his innards were being squeezed and hammered, mutilated by something unbearable. His breath suddenly hitched and he screamed out as all his world entered a deep darkness.  
  
* * *  
  
Seifer's concentration suddenly left as he heard a familiar tenor voice screamed over to his side. Dante was merciless, striking at every opening Seifer gave. But just as merciless, Seifer countered every attack, even parrying with a few of his own. This attack-counter routine was fine up until Seifer heard Squall's plea. Worry and rage coursing through his already adrenaline pumped veins drove him forward as he pushed his weight into a single fierce side long swipe, forcefully pushing Eclipse aside. Using agility Dante didn't expect him to have, Seifer reversed the blade, sending it across the young boy's face, slicing across his right eye.  
  
Dante fell, covering his eye to stem the blood flow.  
  
"Bastard..." he hissed as he watched Seifer retreat with his good eye.  
  
* * *  
  
"Squall!?" Seifer knelt next to the slender brunette, lifting him off the ground. He sheathed Hyperion, then looked back to Squall. He was unconscious, his breath very low and weak. He looked over and saw Rinoa, similarly unconscious.  
  
It was then he heard another approaching force. He needn't to get away, but he couldn't carry both of them. He picked up Squall and slung him over his shoulder, then proceeded to trek back the Ragnarok. There wasn't much he could do for Rinoa. He wished he could, but he needed to at least save one of them, and his feelings forced himself to choose Squall. He prayed, to who, he didn't know, that Rinoa would remain safe as he ran towards Ragnarok.  
  
* * *  
  
"Quickly, take the girl back to my airship!" Dante commanded as troops from the Sorceress Hunters appeared, flanking him and Rinoa.  
  
"Sir, perhaps you should get that checked." One of the soldiers mentioned, referring to Dante's injured eye. The boy merely scowled then waved him off.  
  
"There is no time for that. Just get the Sorceress to my ship before she awakens. And don't hurt her!" Dante then looked off to where Seifer and Squall had fled. He touched his bloodied eye and winced. "Fucking bastard will pay for this." He growled before walking off to his airship. 


	3. Regret

"You -what-?"  
  
Seifer forced a small grin, in spite of the glares the others were giving him. "I'm sorry. There wasn't anything I could do!"  
  
"Still, Seifer, you just left Rinoa there. You left her with the enemy!" Zell fumed.  
  
"Ah, well, you guys didn't really like her much anyway..." Seifer commented quietly.  
  
"Seifer!" Quistis reprimanded. "Regardless, that was no reason to just leave her there..."  
  
"Well, -instructor-, would you had rather I left both of them there?" Seifer asked, outstretching his arm and pointing to the bed they stood next to. There lay Squall, his breath shallow but evident. Quistis sighed.  
  
"Seifer's right. There wasn't anything he could do. He already explained that he piloted Ragnarok back to the spot where he had left Rinoa and she was gone, as was the enemy that attacked them." Selphie said calmly. Seifer looked at her, nodding a silent thanks.  
  
"Still..." Zell hissed.  
  
"That's enough, Zell. He's already apologized. Our focus now is to get Rinoa back." Quistis said.  
  
The door beeped and opened, Irvine strolling in, tipping his hat in a small greeting. Fujin followed after him, carrying a small stack or papers.  
  
"ALRIGHT?" Fujin asked Seifer. He smirked.  
  
"I'm fine. But that's not what I'm worried about." He replied. Fujin smiled knowingly as she watched Seifer direct his attention to the occupant of the bed.  
  
"Irvine, Fujin, were you able to get information on the enemy?" Quistis asked.  
  
"We were." He turned to Fujin who promptly handed him the papers. "Dante Remaniax, second in command of a rebel faction lovingly called the Sorceress Hunters."  
  
"Well, they've gotten what they want, how do we know they haven't killed Rinny yet?" Zell asked bitterly.  
  
"We don't. We just have to hope." Selphie replied grimly.  
  
The door beeped again and Dr. Kadowaki walked in. Everyone stopped and gave her their undivided attention.  
  
"Dr. Kadowaki?" Seifer asked.  
  
"Don't worry, Seifer, Squall is quite alright. It's his blood test that has me puzzled..." she said quietly.  
  
"What about it?" Irvine asked.  
  
"Well, you know the source of magic within humans, yes?"  
  
"Usually it comes from the Guardian Forces. They lend us their power." Selphie answered,  
  
"Correct. But what about the powers of the sorceresses?"  
  
The group looked around. None had an answer.  
  
"After doing a few tests on Rinoa, I found an elevated level of ectoplasm in her system. To put it simply, ectoplasm is source of magic, and everyone has it. The Guardian Forces merely reinforce the ectoplasm already within. Sorceresses, it seems, have a higher percentage of ectoplasm in their bodies, giving them the ability to summon magic without the help of the Guardian Forces."  
  
"So what does this all have to do with Squall?" Seifer asked.  
  
"Well, it appears that Squall has recently undergone a change. His ectoplasm levels are high above normal..."  
  
"In other words..."  
  
"In other words, Squall has become a sorceress, or in his case, a sorcerer."  
  
The group fell silent, all of them looking to one another in surprise, except for Seifer. He had focused his attention to Squall. Who happen to appear very awake at that point of time.  
  
"What...happened?" He whispered coarsely, slowly rising to a sitting position.  
  
"Squall!" Selphie shouted happily, wrapping him in a hug. Squall gasped as the bouncy girl attacked him.  
  
"Hey there, Sefie, lemme go, I can't breathe!" Selphie backed off and smiled.  
  
"I'm so glad you're awake!"  
  
Squall let out a few small coughs. "I can see..." He replied.  
  
"Squall, how do you feel?" Dr. Kadowaki asked patiently.  
  
"My muscles ache, but besides that..."  
  
"Good. I suggest the rest of you leave, and allow Squall to rest." She said before leaving the room. The rest of the group followed except for Seifer, who took a seat next the bed. Squall sighed, laying back down on the bed.  
  
"Almasy." He muttered quietly.  
  
"Leonhart." Seifer returned, leaning back in his chair.  
  
"What happened back there? After I..."  
  
"Passed out?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I heard you scream, so I took care of that little brat and came to help you. By the time I got there, both you and Rin were unconscious."  
  
"Where is Rinoa? Is she alright?"  
  
Seifer looked down, scratching the back of his head ruefully. "Ah...I don't know if she's alright. I kinda...left her there..."  
  
Squall sat up, staring at Seifer. "You -what-?"  
  
"You know, Quisty had the same reaction..."  
  
"Shut up Seifer. Why didn't you just leave me there instead?"  
  
"I...I couldn't."  
  
"Fuck, Seifer, our task was to protect Rinoa!"  
  
Seifer stood up. "Our -task-? Is that all you care about? The mission!? You should be thankful I saved your sorry ass."  
  
"That's no excuse."  
  
"I...I know. I shouldn't have left her. But..."  
  
"But what?" Squall asked irritably.  
  
Seifer glared. "But nothing. Had I known you were going to be such a fucking tight ass about this, I would have left you there to rot. I'll see you later, Sorcerer."  
  
"Sorcerer?" Squall repeated, but Seifer was already out the door and out of earshot.  
  
* * *  
  
Seifer sent Hyperion through the fleshy body of another Grat, its bodily fluids spraying everywhere. He wiped the slimy blood off his face before continuing through the Training Center. For the past hour he had gone through Grat And T-Rexaur alike, all falling to his frustration, kindly translated into deadly slashes of Hyperion's blade. He growled as he dispatched another Grat, probably the tenth or eleventh he had gone through that night.  
  
He wiped his forehead off, his body drenched in sweat. //Perhaps I ought to give it a break.// He thought, tossing a glance to the hidden area of the Training Center. It was far past curfew, and most of the normals were gone. Tonight he was alone.  
  
He leaned against the railing, heaving a massive sigh, his breath coarse from the workout. He couldn't believe the way Squall was acting. For Hyne's sake, Seifer had saved him and all the damned ice prince could think about was Rinoa!  
  
//Rinoa...maybe he's still in love with her...// Seifer thought dismally. He ran a hand through his tousled hair out of sheer frustration. He was running in circles, thinking about Squall. Every time he'd contemplate the chocolate haired boy, he'd think a little too much and end up depressing himself through simple logic. The logic that Squall and Rinoa still held feelings for one another.  
  
The thought killed him.  
  
At first, when he came back to Garden, he pleaded to let him in, a very humiliating thing for the Great Seifer Almasy to do. And then Squall...his rival, his enemy, his destiny...intervened, pulling the right strings to get Seifer in and not only that, but give him a second chance to make it as SeeD. Squall offered him a kindness that Seifer didn't know Leonhart-less could give.  
  
And sadly enough, it got to him.  
  
Now that wasn't the only reason Seifer started to get a little squeamish around the former Commander of Garden. It was when Seifer gave him the chance to know Squall a little better did he start to see another side of the man.  
  
A very sexy side, at that...  
  
//Stop it, Seifer. That's weak. You can't allow yourself to brood like this.// He reprimanded himself. A breeze ran though the air, sending a slight chill down Seifer's back. He had left his coat back in his quarters, figuring it was too warm for it. He cracked his neck, blocking the chill as he continued to stare out into the horizon.  
  
"Thought I'd find you here."  
  
Seifer didn't bother turning. "And why did you think that?"  
  
"Because, it's where I'd go if I had to think."  
  
Seifer turned, facing the newcomer. "Very funny, Leonhart. It doesn't matter where you are, if you need to think, you just zone out."  
  
Squall shrugged. "Yeah, I guess I do."  
  
Silence fell between them, the only interruption being a small wind dancing around them before dying off in the darkened air.  
  
"So what are you thinking about?" Squall asked.  
  
"Honestly, what I can do to fix all this..." Seifer muttered, letting out an exasperated sigh.  
  
"I see..."  
  
Seifer looked and Squall, eying him carefully. His eyes...they were distant, it seemed. Yet, they also appeared shaken, far from the calm blue eyes he was used to seeing.  
  
"You're scared." Seifer observed. Squall didn't reply.  
  
"Eh, that's alright, I wouldn't readily admit it either."  
  
"Of course I'm scared, you stupid fuck." Squall said, a bit more harshly than he meant it to sound. "How would you like it if you just found out you're the next Sorceress..."  
  
"Sorcerer." Seifer corrected.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"You don't have to be scared."  
  
"If I know my fears, then I know my enemy. With that knowledge, I'll survive."  
  
"Using fear as an advantage, rather than a weakness. Clever..." Seifer mumbled.  
  
"I thought so. Seifer?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Why didn't you get Rinoa? Why did you save me?"  
  
"Aah..." Seifer swallowed hard. "...I can't really say, Leonhart. It just happened."  
  
"...you should have saved her..."  
  
"But I didn't. What's done is done."  
  
"Still..."  
  
"Enough already. I've had enough of this shit, everyone blaming me for Rinny getting left behind! If you didn't notice, I was occupied by that bastard kid and what do you do, you fucking black out on me!"  
  
Squall looked at him, his eyes slightly glossed over. "Whatever. I was granting her a final request..."  
  
"What? What do you mean final?"  
  
Squall paused. "Do...do you know how fucking difficult it is to know that I am what I am now because of Rinoa's death?"  
  
"Squall, she didn't die."  
  
"But she gave her powers to me, meaning that the chances of her surviving were slim."  
  
"How pessimistic of you..." Seifer pointed out.  
  
"Realistic." Squall corrected.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"That's my line, Almasy."  
  
Seifer flashed a small grin. "Yeah? And what are you gonna do about it?"  
  
Squall shook his head. "Listen, I came here to tell that we're having a meeting tomorrow morning at 9:00. I suggest you get some sleep."  
  
The brown haired boy then turned, making his way to the exit.  
  
"Hey Squall?"  
  
Squall paused, turning to face Seifer. "What?"  
  
"Are...you going to be alright?"  
  
Squall looked at him, a confused look passing through his eyes before falling into their normally stoic appearance. The change in his emotions were quick, but Seifer noticed his confusion. He decided to keep quiet about it...for now.  
  
"Seifer...I'll be fine."  
  
With that, he quickly retreated, leaving Seifer alone. 


End file.
